Christian Worldview

WVC 401

Kingdom Life

Belhaven University

Unit Three

Birth Control: Acceptable and Unacceptable Forms

Polygamy, Adultery, & Domestic Violence

Divorce & Remarriage

Birth Control: Acceptable and

Unacceptable Forms “Be fruitful and multiply” (Gen. 1:28):

 What if I can’t be a good steward of children at this

moment of my life?

 Must every sexual union in marriage be open to

conception?

 Genesis 38:9 But Onan was not willing to have a child

who would not be his own heir. So whenever he had

intercourse with his brother's wife, he spilled the semen

on the ground. This prevented her from having a child

who would belong to his brother. (NLT)

 Levirate Marriage

Birth Control: Acceptable and

Unacceptable Forms, cont.

Roman Catholic Interpretation on Genesis 38:9

 Every sexual intercourse must be open to conception.

 Interruption of natural sexual process is sinful.

 Any form artificial contraception that interrupts the natural process

is wrong.

Evangelical View:

 God’s displeasure was in Onan’s exploitive and abusive behavior.

 Deut. 25:5-10 – public shame was the result of failure to take on

levirate marriage, not death

Birth Control: Acceptable and

Unacceptable Forms, cont.

 Purpose of Marriage:

 Companionship, sexual pleasure, strengthening

intimacy, marital fidelity in addition to procreation

 Married couples should seek to have children

(Ps. 127:4-5), but not all sexual encounters must be

open to conception. Couples can plan wisely.

 But not every kind of birth control is acceptable in

Evangelical view.

Birth Control: Acceptable and

Unacceptable Forms, cont.  Culture – Modern Medicine Gives Us So Many Choices

Abstinence IUD

Calendar Method Morning After Pill

Barrier Methods Abortion

Sterilization

Which are acceptable and which are not? I will only

share what is commonly accepted among many

Evangelicals.

Birth Control: Acceptable and

Unacceptable Forms, cont. First: Expelling Misconceptions

 Medicine is good! Gift from the Lord

 2 Chronicles 16:12 “In the thirty-ninth year of his reign, Asa

developed a serious foot disease. Yet even with the severity of his

disease, he did not seek the LORD's help but turned only to his

physicians.” (NLT)

• God disapproved of trusting only in physicians without trusting

God.

• God disapproved of using wrong methods – Egyptians went to

exorcists, priests, and doctors.

• God disapproves of invoking false gods and pagan superstitions.

Birth Control: Acceptable and

Unacceptable Forms, cont.

 Medicine is good! Gift from the Lord

 Isaiah treats Hezekiah with ointment from figs. (2 Kings

20:7)

 Luke 10:34 “Going over to him, the Samaritan soothed

his wounds with olive oil and wine and bandaged them.

Then he put the man on his own donkey and took him

to an inn, where he took care of him.” (NLT)

Birth Control: Acceptable and

Unacceptable Forms, cont.  Medicine is good! Gift from the Lord

 1 Timothy 5:23 “Don't drink only water. You ought to drink a

little wine for the sake of your stomach because you are sick

so often.” (NLT)

 Revelation 22:2 “It flowed down the center of the main street.

On each side of the river grew a tree of life, bearing twelve

crops of fruit, with a fresh crop each month. The leaves were

used for medicine to heal the nations.” (NLT)

We need more Christian scientists, doctors, and nurses in the

science field.

Birth Control: Acceptable and

Unacceptable Forms, cont. Acceptable Forms of Contraception in Marriage:

Evangelical View

 Principle #1: “In short, the answer is only those that are

contraceptive in nature, that is, those that exclusively prohibit

conception” (Kostenberger, 2010, p. 123).

 Rhythm or Calendar Method – timing ovulation or fertility

periods

 Barrier Methods – diaphragm, condoms, creams,

suppositories (examples)

 Principle #2: We can plan wisely and prevent life for a season

but should not kill life.

Birth Control: Acceptable and

Unacceptable Forms, cont.

Gray Areas: Needs Special Consideration

 Sterilization:

 Male Vasectomy – blocks ducts

 Female Tubal Occlusion – blocks woman’s fallopian

tubes to prevent sperm from making contact with egg

Debated among Evangelicals: body is temple of Holy Spirit

(1 Cor. 6:19)

Birth Control: Acceptable and

Unacceptable Forms, cont.

Unacceptable Forms of Birth Control

 IUD (Intrauterine Device)

 Creates unstable environment in the uterine wall for the

fertilized egg

 Prevents stability for the conceived life to grow

 Morning After Pill (RU-486, Abortion Pill)

 Prevent implantation of new fetus to uterine wall

 Blocks progesterone to prevent maintenance of

pregnancy

Birth Control: Acceptable and

Unacceptable Forms, cont. Unacceptable Forms of Birth Control

 Abortion

 ANE (ancient Near East) – Egyptians exposed unwanted

children (especially girls) or chemical remedies to abort

unwanted children.

 Early Roman society: Charms, amulets, chemicals,

surgeries, exposure of unwanted children which often

resulted in human trafficking.

 Christians: Profound respect for life

Birth Control: Acceptable and

Unacceptable Forms, cont.

Unacceptable Forms of Birth Control

 Prolonged Abstinence between Husband & Wife

 1 Cor. 7: “5 Do not deprive each other of sexual

relations, unless you both agree to refrain from

sexual intimacy for a limited time so you can give

yourselves more completely to prayer. Afterward,

you should come together again so that Satan

won't be able to tempt you because of your lack

of self-control.” (NLT)

Birth Control: Acceptable and

Unacceptable Forms, cont.

Christians: Profound respect for life

 Exodus 1: “16 When you help the Hebrew women as they give

birth, watch as they deliver. If the baby is a boy, kill him; if it is a

girl, let her live. 17 But because the midwives feared God, they

refused to obey the king's orders. They allowed the boys to live,

too.” (NLT)

 Psalm 139: “13 You made all the delicate, inner parts of my body

and knit me together in my mother's womb.” (NLT)

 Jeremiah 1: “5 I knew you before I formed you in your mother's

womb. Before you were born I set you apart and appointed you

as my prophet to the nations." (NLT)

Birth Control: Acceptable and

Unacceptable Forms, cont.

Christians: Profound respect for life

 Christians from the earliest times denied abortion.

 Didache: “You shall not procure abortion, nor

commit infanticide” (Did. 2:2).

 Principle #3: Protect the vulnerable in our society.